Shock resistance demonstrator



Wm., H, 195@ H. D, HOOKER 2,532,167

SHOCK RESISTANCE DEMONSTRATOR Filed Dee. 8, 1949 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS INV ENTOR JHl? '.HQOw/M ATTORNEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H D HOOKER SHOCK RESISTANCE DEMONSTRATOR "wilIIIHHMinimum mm n SL @www NN www Filed Dec. 8, 1949 Patented Nov. 28, `195() UNITED anais? STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 claims. 1

My invention consists in new and useful improvements in apparatus for demonstrating the shock and water resistant properties of watches and similar articles of manufacture. An object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will automatically subject a watch or other article to repeated impacts against an abutment or back stop and immersion in a water-filled container, intermittently withdrawing the watch from the container and returning it to its initial position.

A further object of my invention is to construct such a demonstrating apparatus as above referred to, as a self-contained unit, in a form which is attractive to the eye and readily adaptable for advertising purposes such for example, as window and counter displays in jewelry stores, commanding the attention of prospective customers and visually demonstrating in a most convincing manner, the resistant qualities of the advertised product. i

A still further object of the invention resides in the embodiment of an improved catapult mechanism which is preferably actuated by an electric motor or other suitable continuously operated prime motor, properly geared for speed reduction and equipped with an automatic clutch device which first causes the catapult to be retracted against a suitable spring resistance and then released for forcefully projecting the watch against an abutment, followed by an immersion in a water-filled container and then returned to its original position, repeating this sequence as long as the motive power is in operation.

With the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel features herein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like characterdesignate similar parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the self-contained unit showing the catapult arm in the .1.

course of being retracted;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, vertical, sectional view through the device, showing the clutch releasing mechanism in clutch releasing position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the casing with the top removed to illustrate work'- ing parts;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4--4 `of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the mechanism shown in Figure 2, but showing the clutch releasing mechanism in inactive position;

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on line 6-B of Figure Z with the clutch released; `and Figure 7 is a similar sectional view taken on line 1-i of Figure 5 showing the clutch in engagement.

In the drawing 8 generallyV represents the housing or container for my improved demonstrating apparatus and consists of a base 9, side walls I0, a front Wall il, a rear wall I2 and a hinged top I3, forming a casing for the operating mechanism. The base 9 is extended forwardly beyond the front wall I i as at lli, to form a support for a water receptacle l5, the side walls ill being also extended and cut away as at i6 and joined by a low supplemental front wall I l which completes the supporting platform or compartment for the water receptacle l5.

At a suitable point on the hinged top I3 I provide a horizontally disposed catapult arm I8, pivotally mounted at one end on a pin or bolt I9 which extends through the top i3 and may be held in place by the nut Zi. The free end of the catapult arm i8 carries an article receiving seat 2i having a semi-circular vertical rear wall 22 and being opened at its forward end where it terminates in a forwardly and downwardly inclined mouth 23. By means of a coil spring or other tension device 2li, the catapult arm. is normally urged in a forward direction, said spring being attached to the front wall il by means of a hook or the like 25 and similarly secured at 26 to the catapult arm.

As will be seen from Figure 2, the rear wall 22 of the article seat 2i is provided with a horizontal opening 2l through which a length of iiexible cord or line 23 is adapted to slide, the outer end of said cord being attached by any suitable means tothe -watch 29 being demonstrated. The opposite end of the line Z8 is adapted to be reeled upon a drum which is intermittently released by mechanism hereinafter described, so that the watch and catapult arm are alternately retracted against the tension of the spring 24, and projected forcefully to eject the watch therefrom.

The mechanism foroperating and controlling the sequence of operation is enclosed in the casing previously described and comprises an elec tric motor 3e which, through a system of gear reduction, drives a main gear 3|, xed on 'a transverse shaft 32, supported at one end in a vertical support 33 with its opposite end extendf ing through two spaced vertical supports 34 and 35 which, together with a third vertical support 36 form the supporting structure for the clutch and drum controlling mechanism.

On the shaft 32 and located between the upright supports 34 and 35, is a spur gear 31 which meshes with a larger gear 38, keyed to a parallel shaft 39 which is rotatably supported in the upright partitions 34, 35 and 36. Also keyed to the shaft 39 and constantly rotating therewith, is a clutch plate 4Q inthe form of a flanged'disk, the inner face of which is provided with a pair of clutch pins 4l adapted to operatively engage complementary recesses 42 in a drum 43 freely rotatable upon the shaft 39, as will be seen from Figures 6 and '7. A coil spring 44, interposed between the drum 43 and a gear 35, normally urgesV the drum 43 into engagement with adjacent face of the clutch disk lill.

The gear d is keyed to the shaft 39 and 0peratively engages a companion gear 45, mounted `on shaft 'i'i which is supported'betweenltheiuprights '351 and 36., said last .named gear .being provided with'ahub iVcarrying a radiallygprojecting arm .de which constantly rotates with the-gear flzas willlbeseenfrom FiguresZand 5. Adjacent vthe* gear @Sil provide a clutchicontrolling arm 50, keyed to a shaft 5! and havingxateiitsfree end an abutment 52 arranged in linefor intermittentengagement by`th'e arm i3 for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

The clutch controlling mechanism comprises-a second arm 53 also keyed to "the shaft 5i and having a rearward projection 5t at its upper eX- tremity, to which is-secured one endofiLa-,spring 55, the. opposite endof whichis securedgbyimeans of a hookfito theinner face of Ltnefront wall Il. Thus, there is aconstant tendency forthe arm 53 with thearrn 5G, to be'rocked counterclockwise on theshaft 5l, toxbring the abutment 52in'to linefor engagement by therotating: arm

The'upper end of the arm 53 is connectedat .51 to a clutch controlling yoke 53 which as will beseen from Figures 2 and 5, comprises apair of vertically spaced, parallel rails 59 joined at their extremities by substantially semi-circular portions SU. Turning to Figures 3 and 6, it'willbe seen that the rails 59 are interposed between theadjacent faces of the drum 43 andithe clutch plate 55, preferably embracing the periphery of Ythe clutch disk, in sliding engagement, with .its ange. Each of the rails Ei'is providedl with an inclined face or wedge portion, adjacent the face of the drum 53, as shown at 5i" in Figure 3, saidwedge portions gradually becoming'wider in a direction away'froin the connectingpoint 5l, so that when the yoke 53 is drawn tothe left in Figures '2 andlS, the widest portions of the Vwedges lv enter the space between the vclutch disk lit anddrum 133 to Vforce the drum away from the clutch disk and permit its free counterclockwise rotation on the shaft lll. Movement of the' yoke 58'torthe right displaces the wedges '5l and .permits` engagement of the clutchpins il with the recesses'fz in thedrum 43, by theaction of the coil spring M. As before stated, the yoke 53 is connected at 5l to the arm 53 and therefore, counterclockwise rockingof the-arm'53 through theact-ion of the `rotating arm '59 and its cooperating arm 5l?, causes the longitudinal displacementvof the wedges-5l of the yoke, tov permit'elutchV engagement,'and the reverse action fordi`sengagingthe clutch, iseifected by the'coil springf55 which normallytendsv to rock thearms 53- and 55 fin -acounterclockwise direction.

In order to control the operation of the yoke and clutch and cause the intermittent projection and return of the catapult arm lg, I provide a latch arm 52 pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a cross rod 53. One end of the arm 62 is connected to a tension spring 5ft fixed to a hook G5 at its lower end, on the base while the opposite end of said arm 62 forms the actual latch and tripping abutment. As will be seen from Figures 2 and 5, the upper edge of the arm 52 at its latch end is cut away to form a downwardly inclined track S5 which terminates in a deep notch 5?, adapted to be engaged by a Ytransversely projecting lug 5S fixed on the arm 53. rhus, the clockwise rocking of the arm 53, causes'the lug'fi to ride along the track 56 until it enters the notch 5l whereupon the arm 53 and the yoke 55 are locked in their extreme right hand-position to maintain the clutch in engagement and cause rotation of the drum Aslbefo're stated,;the.exibleline connected to theV article 2% being demonstrated, is vreeled upon the drum fit; The line-2i? preferablyruns fromthe article receiyingseat 2i overa pulley emountedion the ,topv i3 of the casingiand then throughanopening "tuin the top where it is vconnected by, any suitable means to the periphery of the drumxi. r'hus, as the drum 43 rotates in clockwise direction, theline is reeled thereonV and by vcontact of article 25y with the rear wall 22 of the seat 2l, the catapult-,arm l-is retracted against the tension of spring 2li.

Inorder toreleaSethev clutch and permit the projection of the'article being demonstrated, I provide a, trip element 'li which consists of an upwardly'directed meinberintegral with the arm 2which:projects through an opening 12 inthe top iginthe line for'engagement by the article receivingY seat 2l, when it reaches its extreme retractedposition as shown in Figure 5. This engagement of seat 2l with the tripping element H depresses theflatch endof arm62 and releases the lug 58 from the notch 61, whereupon, the spring 55 causes longitudinal movement of the A 'i yoke53 ztoward the leftv to interpose .the wedges 5i between the clutch plate i0 and the ldrum 573, thereby'permitting freedom of rotation of'the drumzin a counterclockwise direction. Upon* thus releasingthe clutch the spring 211" ispermitted'to forcefully'swingthe catapult arm lonits-pivot lilgandunreel the-'line 25 fromthe drum 43.

To effectively eject the. article 29 fromits'seat 2fi,.it is-'necessary to provide forxanabrupt stoppage of the forward a-ction of the'catapult arm I8.

' This. may Vbe, accomplished by simply providing an upwardly' directed stopfat the forward end bof the ;topl3 inline with the-movement ofthecatapult arm i3; However, I have;foundfthatia somewhat more exaggerated'and vivid' eifect may be accomplished by a novel structure which operatively'connects the catapultxstop with the abutment/or back: stop Yagainstwhic'h* the article is to receive impact. This arrangement will best be seen from Figure 2 wherein 13 representsa vertically extending abutment'or back stop, preferably in the form of a sheet of lucite or other plastic material, supported by a-pair-offvertical arms 'lt'which are loosely secured asat l5 in a transverse slot in the end of theYbase projection MJ. The lower extremities'ofV the arms 'I4 1are fastened-toaconnecting rod 1E, therear end of which is pivotally connected at 11 to anA upwardly extending stop arm l5. 'Thek stop arm "I8 is piw/ oted intermediate its ends to a supportlSXed to the inner f ace of they front wall :I IV and'its upper end 80 projects through an opening 8| in the top I 3 in line for engagement by the catapult arm I8. Thus, when the catapult arm contacts the projecting end or stop 80, it abruptly stops and ejects the article 28 toward the impact abut ment 13. Naturally, a forceful impact of article 29 against abutment 'I3 results, but a more exaggerated effect is obtained because of the fact that the forward movement of the upwardly projecting end 30 causes the arm 'IB to rock on its support 'I9 and through the connecting rod 'I6 the abutment 73 is given a slight lateral movement, simultaneously with the impact of article 29.

Preferably, the line 28 is of sufcient length and the weight of the drum predetermined, to permit a slight overrun of the drum in its counterclockwise rotation. Thus, when the article 29 is ejected from the seat 2I and before it has descended into the water container I5, the overrunning of the drum causes the line 28 to be reeled for a portion of its length in the opposite direction, by the momentum of the drum. Then, when the drum starts its reverse or clockwise rotation, the article on the end of line 28 is first caused to descend into the water in receptacle I until the end of the line attached to the drum 43, starts to reel in its normal direction on the drum, whereupon the article is elevated from the receptacle I5 and drawn into the seat ZI on the catapult arm.

In order to facilitate the withdrawal of the article from the receptacle I5, I preferably provide an apron B2 which may be composed of any suitable material such as plastic, and is secured to the front wall II overlying the inner edge of the container l5.

The sequence of operation of my improved demonstrating apparatus is as follows:

An article such as a watch 29 is secured to the end of the line 2B and the motor 30 is set into operation which causes a continuous rotation of the main gear 3| and therewith, the shaft 32 and the spur gear 31. From the gear 31, gear 3e, shaft 39 and gear 44 are caused to constantly rotate and therewith, the clutch plate 4U, the drum t3 being in the position shown in Figure '7, in engagement with the clutch plate 40 and the clutch controlling yoke 46 in its extreme rightward position shown in Figure 5. `The drum is rotated in clockwise direction to reel the line 2B thereon until the article receiving seat 2l abuts Ithe tripping element 1I, to release` the latch 6L-55. Thereupon, the yoke 5S is caused l to move to the left under thetension of spring 55, bringing the widest portion of the wedges 6I of the rails 59, into wedging engagement between the drum and clutch plate, to force the drum out of engagement and permit freedom of rotation in a counterclockwise direction. The tension of the spring 2li causes the rapid forward movement of the catapult arm I8 until it engages the upward projection 89, when the article is forcefully ejected from the seat 2| and strikes the vertical abutment 13. scend into the container I5 by means of the overrun above described, the rotating arm 49 having engaged the abutment 52 on arm 5U, to return the yoke 5B to its inoperative position with the reeultant engagement of the clutch and drum to rotate the latter in clockwise direction. The article 29 on the line 28 is then drawn upwardly over the apron 82 until it again enters the seat 2i on the catapult arm I8, the continued reeling of the line causing the return, of the catapult arm The article is then `caused to den l assale? 6 to its retracted position, when the above described sequence is repeated.

From the foregoing, it is believed that my invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, without further description, it being borne in mind that numerous changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for demonstrating the shock resistant properties of watches and similar articles, comprising a support, a back stop adjacent one end thereof, a catapult mounted on said support and carrying an article receptacle, means for alternately retracting and projecting said catapult and receptacle in line with said back stop, whereby an article in said receptacle is projected against said back stop, and means for automatically returning the projected ar-v ticle to said receptacle.

2. Apparatus for demonstrating the shock and water resistant properties of watches and similar articles, comprising a support, a back stop adjacent one end thereof, a water container below said back stop, a catapult arm pivotally mounted at one end, on said support and carrying at its free end an article receptacle, means for alternately retracting and projecting said arm and receptacle through an arc in line with said back stop, whereby an article insaid receptacle is projected against said back stop and immersed in said water container, and means for automatically recovering said article from said container and returning to said receptacle.

3. Apparatus for demonstrating the shock resistant properties of watches and similar articles, including an article projecting unit,` com prising a pivotally mounted catapult arm movable in an arc between retracted and projected positions and having an article receptacle at its free end, resilient means for swinging said arm from retracted position, an abutment for intercepting said movement and causing the ejection of an article in said receptacle, a back stop spaced from said unit and lying in the path of movement of an ejected article, a flexible line slidably engaging said receptacle and secured at one end to said article, a power driven shaft, a drum freely rotatable on said shaft for reeling the opposite end of said line to retract said article and with it said arm and receptacle, against the tension of said resilient means, a clutch for operatively connecting said shaft and drum, means actuated by said shaft for locking said clutch in operative position, to reel said line on said drum, and trip mechanism actuated by said arm upon reaching retracted position, for releasing said clutch to permit free reverse rotaticn of said drum for unreeling said line under the force of said resilient means, whereby said article is projected from said receptacle against said back stop.

4. Apparatus as vclaimed in claim 3 wherein said back stop is tiltably mounted, said abutment being mounted for limited pivotal movement in the direction of the back stop, and means connecting said abutment and back stop to transmit movement of the former to the latter.

5. In apparatus for demonstrating the shock resistant properties of watches and similar articles, including a catapult arm pivoted for swinging movement between two points and car-` rying an article receptacle at its free end, tension means for swinging said arm toward one of said points to forcefully eject an article from saidreceptaoley and a back stop lying in the path of movement Vof said ejected article; article 'controlling mechanism. comprising a continually rotating, power driven shaft, a drum freely rotatable and axially displaceable thereon, a exiblc line slidably engaging said receptacle and connected at one end to an article therein, its other end being connected to said drum for reeling thereon,.a clutch disk fixed on saidV shaft, resilient means normally urging said drum into engagement with said clutch disk for rotation therewith, a clutchrreleasing member interposed between said clutch disk and drum to free the latter on the shaft, means actuated by said power driven shaft for intermittently shifting said clutch releasing member to inoperative position Vto permit engagement of the clutch and drum, a latch for locking said releasing member in operative position, whereby said line is reeled on the drum, retracting the catapult arm through engagement of the article with said ar ticle receptacle, and a trip device actuated by the retraction of said arm for tripping said latch to permit the return of said clutch releasing 'member to inoperative position to free said drum vfor unreeling said line under the force of said tension means, whereby said article is pro jected from the receptacle, against said back stop.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said clutch releasing member comprises a transversely slidable yoke having at least one wedge surface which normally displaces said drum on said shaft to release the clutch.

7. Apparatus' for demonstrating the shock resistant properties of watches or similar articles, comprising a base, a vertical back stop at one end of saidbase, a housing on said base, spaced'from said back stop, a catapult arm pivotally mounted at oneend, cn the top of said housing for reciprocating movement in a horizontal plane, an article receptacle carried at the free end of said crm, a catapult spring for projecting said arm in the direction of said back stop, a line of flexible material, Ameans connecting one end thereof to the free end oi said arm, a freely rctatable drum slidably mounted on said shaft in said housing means for securing the opposite end oi' said line to the periphery of said drum for reeling thereon, to retract the arm against the tension o said catapult'spring, a clutch plate on said shaft and rotatable therewith, spring'means normally urging said drum toward said clutch plate for operative engagement therewith, a clutch releasing element, means normally urging 8 said element into position between said-plate and drum to free the latter on the shaft, means driven by said shaft for intermittently withdrawing said releasing element to permit en gagement of saidplate and drum, a latch for maintaining said element in withdrawn position, and means actuated by said catapult arm when the latter reaches retracted position, to release said latch.

8. Apparatus for demonstrating the shock resistant properties of watches and similar articles, a comprising a base, a catapult arm pivotally mounted at one end on said base for swinging movement in a horizontal plane, an article receptaclecarried at the free end of said arm and having an aperture in the rear wall thereof, a line of flexible material slidable through said aperture and adapted to be secured at one end, to an article resting in said receptacle, spring means normally urging saidarm in one direction, a power driven shaft, a drum freely rotatable on said shaft and having means for securing the oppositeend of said'line, clutch means normally urged into operative position for connecting said'shaft and drum for reeling said line, to retract saidarm in the opposite direction against the tension of said spring means, through engagement oi said'article with the wall 01` said receptacle, and means operableupon the retraction of said arm for intermittently releasing said clutch to free said drum, whereby said line may be unreeled and the article projected from said receptacle against said back stop.V

9. Apparatus for demonstrating the shock resistant properties of watches and similar articles, comprising a support, a back stop at. one end thereof, a catapult on said support and carrying an article receptacle, resilient means normally urging said. catapult toward said abutment, a rum rotatably mounted on said support, a fier:- ible line xed at one end to said drum and adapted to be reeled thereon, the other end of said line passing freely through an opening in the rear of said receptacle and beingnxed to an article to be demonstrated, a prime mover, a clutch for operatively connecting said prime mover and drum to reel the line on the latter, drawing said article into said receptacle, the continued reeling of said line causing said receptacle and catapult to be retracted, and a latch member operable by contact` of said catapult to disengage said 'clutch and to release the catapult under the force of said resilient means, whereby an article in said receptacle is projected against said back stop.

HAR/BERT D. HOOKER.

No references cited. 

